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Honours in psychology

Why pursue Honours in psychology?

If you are an undergraduate student interested in pursuing a career as a psychologist, Honours (fourth year) is required by law before continuing with specialised training. An Honours year also allows you to apply to access other career pathways, including a career in psychological research.

As a psychology Honours student, you'll have access to outstanding staff and facilities, including our many specialist research supervisors and the dedicated laboratories in which they work. After completing the Honours year, you’ll be eligible to apply for a place in our highly sought after postgraduate programs in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology as well as our exciting PhD program.

Career opportunities

La Trobe designs its courses with your future career in mind and partners with a range of professional organisations for accreditation and registration. Refer to the detail for each course below to see what professional registration and membership options exist.

Course information

Local students

Students who perform at a high standard during their undergraduate studies may apply to undertake a further year of psychology study in Honours (SHPS), which is a prerequisite for most postgraduate courses of study in Psychology. Following the successful completion of the Honours year, these students will graduate with a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours). The Honours course is presently offered only at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus however; students from the Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga campus can take seminars from their local campus and receive supervision on their research project from supervisors from all campuses.

Entry Requirements

Completion of an APAC accredited degree within the previous 10 years.

Entry to this course is competitive. There will be a limited number of places for students currently not studying at La Trobe University. In previous rounds external applicants with a WAM of 80+ have been considered for entry.

Structure

120 credit points

Assessment

Students are required to complete a research thesis. As formative assessment tasks, they are required to present their research proposal at a mini-conference, submit a written proposal, and prepare an ethics application for conducting research. In addition, students are required to write a major essay, take three examinations based on coursework materials, submit short reports, a journal, and colloquium commentaries.

Professional Recognition

The Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). Professional registration with the Psychology Board of Australia will require additional or ongoing requirements beyond the completion of the degree as well as an application to the professional body. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Psychological Science with Honours may apply for membership with the Australian Psychological Society (APS). Membership may be subject to additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

Fee Type

Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)

How to apply

If you are not a current La Trobe student, please ensure that you attach your current or completed transcripts with numerical marks for assessment. We are unable to assess applications that do not include transcripts.

See Student Handbook for more details

NB: the Handbook contains detailed information about courses, including course structures, designed primarily for students enrolled at La Trobe University: Melbourne

Closing date

31 October 2018

Contacts

Want to know more?

Fees and scholarships

Undergraduate courses are Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) for eligible Australian and New Zealand citizens. The domestic fee calculator can be used to calculate the cost of subjects this year. There are also a wide range of scholarships available for local students.

International students

Students who perform at a high standard in a relevant undergraduate program of study may apply to undertake a further year of psychology study in Honours (SHPS), which is a prerequisite for most postgraduate courses of study in Psychology. Following the successful completion of the Honours year, these students will graduate with a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours). The Honours course is presently offered only at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus however; students from the Bendigo and Albury-Wodonga campus can take seminars from their local campus and receive supervision on their research project from supervisors from all campuses.

Structure

120 credit points

Assessment

Students are required to complete a research thesis. As formative assessment tasks, they are required to present their research proposal at a mini-conference, submit a written proposal, and prepare an ethics application for conducting research. In addition, students are required to write a major essay, take three examinations based on coursework materials, submit short reports, a journal, and colloquium commentaries.

Academic entry requirements

If your studies in Psychology were undertaken out of Australia, it is necessary before submitting an application for the Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours), to have your non-Australian academic qualifications assessed by the Australian Psychological Society (APS) for the purposes of migration, entrance to psychology programs in Australian universities, registration or gaining employment in Australia.

You should submit original transcripts of your qualifications and it is useful to attach copies of course outlines, content, etc., if you have them. For a fee, the APS will assess whether your qualifications are equivalent to those obtained through a 3 year APAC- accredited psychology program in Australia (approved by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council).

Please note: obtaining an APS assessment equivalent to at least 3 years in Psychology does not guarantee that an application for Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) will be successful in gaining a place.

Additional information

NB: the Handbook contains detailed information about courses, including course structures, designed primarily for students enrolled at La Trobe University:

CRICOS code: 069379F

Your study experience

Students will attend a series of seminars including the school colloquia program where leading scholars present their research. Students attend a fourth-year conference and present their research project proposal and hear about other students' projects. Students also complete a series of online modules to assist in learning how to analyse and respond to the ethical and professional dilemmas that arise for psychologists and other helping professionals.

Alternative pathways

Transferring from another university where you are enrolled in a related degree, provided you meet the entry requirements.